the trio
by sydney sama
Summary: A different kind of fanfic. It undoes the tangled strings involved in the love triangle between Tifa, Aeris, and Cloud...but in a truly different kind of introspective view...


The Trio

PART I. Tifa

Orange, red, brown, and gold leaves flew through the air, surrounding Cloud Strife. The leaves seemed to glide upon the breeze, flying in innumerable directions. There was a slight chill to the air, and Cloud thanked himself for remembering to put on his heavy coat that afternoon. The sun still shone high in the sky, splaying its rays into his short and slightly mussed hair, turning it an even more golden color. 

It was a little after half past noon, and Cloud walked through the calm streets. Tiny shops with intricate and delicate displays littered the walkway. He stopped to gaze at a toy shop display, antique tin soldiers and fragile china dolls were organized neatly in front of the clear window. A rush of childhood memories flooded into him like a rush of warmth. He remembered looking into toy shops nearly identical to this one as a young boy, staring at the airplanes, soldiers, and toy cars for lengthy amounts of time.

Cloud briefly shook his head and continued walking. The town had a pleasant atmosphere to it, friendlier and more comfortable than the bustling city of L.A; his real home. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets, shivering at the cold air. He wasn't used to weather like this, it was probably still 90 degrees back in Southern California, even though the season neared winter. Fallen leaves littered the plain sidewalk, and crunched underneath his moving feet. Also as a child, he had delighted in the crisp sound freshly fallen leaves made when he stepped on them. Enough of childhood memories! He would never get anywhere by letting his mind wander on useless subjects. 

He swiftly strode to turn the sharp corner of the sidewalk, which cleanly wrapped around yet another antique shop. Concentrating on the bright blue sky above him, he hardly noticed that there was another pedestrian directly in front of him. A petite projectile collided into his body, nearly knocking him off of the narrow sidewalk. Regaining his balance, he attempted an apology, his face flushing.

"Oh, sorry about that…" he offered the flustered young woman who had promptly been knocked onto her backside. Notebooks and textbooks spilled about the two, obviously caused by the clumsy collision. He glanced at the young girl who clutched at her heart, obviously from shock. Cloud politely offered his hand to help the girl up, and she graciously took it, her breath coming out in short gasps. He stared at her for a while, a little amazed that she was having difficulty breathing...He asked her if she was okay. She mumbled something incoherent. Not concentrating on Cloud, her eyes surveyed the mess around her. She set her hands upon her brown hair in frustration, mussing it up a bit. 

"I'm really sorry…" Cloud said again.

The young girl shook her head, "No, no, it's okay. Don't worry about it." She then bent down to her knees and proceeded to pick up the scattered objects that seemed to lie in a circle around her. Cloud silently helped her gather her things. He scanned her face for any kind of reaction. She was quite attractive, with large, clear brown doe's eyes, high cheekbones, and a perfectly sculpted nose. The girl looked strikingly familiar. Maybe a little _too_ familiar…

The girl noticed that Cloud was intently staring at her with intense blue eyes. Her eyebrows arched at his gazing face. He was quite a strange one, first knocking her down, then staring at her as if there was something hanging from her nose. She met his gaze.

Cloud frowned a bit. "Do I know you?" he queried.

"I don't think so…" The girl quickly responded.

"No, wait… Tifa?"

A stunned look on her face told Cloud that he was right.

"Tifa Lockheart?"

Tifa fumbled for words, "Do…I know you?"

Cloud let out a chuckle, "Tifa Lockheart, so I was right huh…" He rubbed his temples.

Tifa uncomfortably shifted under the weight of her book bag. _Who was he?_

"Sorry," Cloud muttered, "Don't you remember me? Cloud Strife? We lived on the same street, went to the same school up until your freshman year in high school?"

Realization struck Tifa, "Yeah! Of course I remember you…You just look….different."

And to tell the truth, he did. Cloud had grown nearly a foot since the last time they had seen each other. He nearly towered a foot over Tifa. His features no longer held the boyish look, he looked older as well. And more good-looking…His once unruly shock of wild blond hair had been trimmed down to a cleaner, more conservative cut. 

Cloud chuckled again, "Yeah, well, so do you! You look nice." As an adolescent, Tifa had worn her chocolate brown hair long; almost down to her waist. But now, she had cut most of it off, barely touching her shoulders. Other than that, she looked exactly the same from when Cloud had last seen her. She still wore the girlish, innocent face; and her eyes still held a bright, seemingly anxious light to them. 

"Well," Cloud breathed, "What are you doing here in Palo Alto?"

Tifa smiled, "Well, I was just about to ask the same of you…I'm a student here at Stanford."

Cloud raised his eyebrows in interest, "Really? Not that I'm surprised. I mean, you _did_ have a reputation for being the class brain."

Tifa laughed and felt herself flush, "And what about you Cloud?"

"Well, let's just say I'm on a little break from _my_ schoolwork. Got a little tired of being in the busy city of L.A."

"What are you doing in L.A?"she pondered again.

"Art school." Cloud replied quickly, he ran one hand through his short blond hair.

"That's great! Well, my lunch break is about to be over…and I'm already late as it is…So…" Tifa said, glancing at her wristwatch. Cloud nodded in understanding. 

"Yeah, you'd better get going."

Tifa nibbled on her lip, "Maybe I'll see you again?"

"Yeah, in fact, if you're not busy tonight, I was thinking maybe we could have dinner or something. You know, catch up to each other," Cloud added earnestly.

Tifa fumbled for the right words, "Well, I really…can't tonight. I'm kind of busy."

Cloud hid his disappointment at her response, "That's ok. I mean, you're a busy girl."

Tifa stuck her hand into her book bag and pulled out a pen and ripped a scrap of paper from her notebook. She quickly scribbled something down on it and handed it to Cloud.

"Here's my number, call if you want to do something later."

Cloud took it cautiously and put it into the deep pocket of his coat, "Ok, then, I'll see you later?"

Tifa giggled, "I gotta go…" and ran off to a parked car across the street. 

She turned around to wave at him once she was beside her car. Cloud waved back, then turned away and walked. 

Strange… Cloud thought. Who would have thought that he would meet her here? It was a strange coincident altogether… Maybe a little _too_ coincidental. Maybe it was fate. Cloud laughed aloud at his silly thoughts and continued walking.

******

Cloud let out a sigh. His breath instantaneously vaporized, leaving a white trail in the night air. The night sky was a marvelous sight to see. It was a deep indigo color, the sun having set hours ago. Millions of tiny lights littered the vast sky, illuminating it like tiny shards of diamonds. The sky was crystal clear, without a trace of any clouds or fog covering it up. 

Cloud took a brief moment to study it, another memory floating into his mind. But this time, it was a memory that was shared by another person. Tifa.

Cloud ceased his train of thought and continued striding through the same streets he had traveled through earlier on the same day. He felt a little lonely, although he did not why. He had always been some what of a loner all his life. Why get upset now? You want to see Tifa a tiny voice inside of him said. Cloud shook his head in frustration and kept his eyes on his surroundings, looking for some kind of shelter from the biting cold. The wind knifed at his face and he pulled up his collar higher. A small, dimly lit coffee shop caught his attention. A small blackboard sign was what really got him. He walked closer to it to make out the words.

"The Java Joint.

Live music tonight! 9:00 – 10:00

All beverages $2.00!"

What the heck. he thought tiredly. He had no other place to go, and a warm cup of coffee wasn't a bad idea in weather like this. As he approached the door, he was immediately greeted by a surge of musical notes the band was playing. It wasn't too loud, a little mellow…Which was even better. The idea of drinking coffee to the music of Marilyn Manson wasn't his idea of relaxing. He swung open the light wooden door, and a bell jingled, alerting the owner of his entrance. Sure enough, there was a band playing in the corner of the wide room. He didn't bother studying the band's members, he just wanted a damn cup of coffee. At the counter he ordered a cup of café mocha, received it, paid, and grabbed the nearest chair in front of a small, unoccupied table. 

He placed the rim of the white cup to his lips and let the hot liquid slip down his throat. The café mocha was pretty good, it seemed to warm his insides like a rush. Cloud removed his heavy coat and hung it on the back of his chair. This place wasn't too bad! Nice coffee, nice heating, and a pretty nice band as well. He took another sip of his drink then decided to listen to the band playing for the remainder of his time. 

The band consisted of four people, a young auburn-haired man was playing behind the drums, an Asian teen was playing bass, a dark haired and clean looking young man was apparently playing lead guitar, and finally, the lead singer. She was also playing the guitar, but simultaneously singing as well. Her voice was soothing, warm, sort of like the coffee Cloud was drinking. Geez, I make the worst analogies Cloud thought. The band's music resembled that of a mellow, alternative modern band. Their songs were quiet, and not of the usual alternative genre. Very nice style. Plus, those girls aren't that bad-looking either he thought with a chuckle. 

Cloud took another sip of his coffee, while still concentrating on the band…And nearly spat everything out.

That lead singer…Cloud narrowed his eyes to try and focus on the female's face. She looked strikingly familiar…Maybe a little _too_ famili--Tifa?

What the heck was Tifa doing up there? Today was just _full_ of surprises…

Cloud calmed himself down, and proceeded to finish his coffee. He set the empty cup down on the table and waited for the song to end. He checked his watch, 9:58. They would be done in a couple of minutes. 

He had never thought of Tifa as the band type…How does she pull off this kind of stuff, while also managing to be a student at Stanford? She was a great student too, no doubt…

"Cloud?" a soft female voice queried, cutting through his thoughts. 

Cloud nearly jumped from his seat at the sound of the voice. 

"Wow, I didn't know you were so uptight Cloud. It's just me," Tifa said, laughing a little. 

"You kind of surprised me," Cloud replied hastily. 

"Yeah, I can tell!" Tifa said as she pulled up a chair and sat herself in front of Cloud.

"No, I mean you surprised me in general," he revealed.

Tifa's queer expression demanded an answer.

"I didn't know you were in a band," he answered. "As a matter of fact, I didn't know you played guitar…or sang!" 

Tifa smiled, "Well…I do."

Cloud let out a sigh, "Yeah, I guess you've changed a lot since the last time we saw each other."

Tifa calmly nodded.

A moment of silence passed between the two.

"Are you going to get something?" Cloud asked suddenly.

"Hmm? Oh, no. It's a little too late for coffee. I don't really want to be up all night with frazzled nerves," she said with a grin.

Cloud laughed, "Yeah, I guess."

"I usually go for coffee in the morning, that's when I really need it."

Cloud eyed Tifa. 

"So, Miss Stanford, what courses are you taking this year?"

Tifa wore a thoughtful expression, "Well, Philosophy, Anthropology, and the regular stuff."

Cloud nodded, "I see…"

"And what about you? Mister, Art school?"

He let out another chuckle, "Well, stuff…"

Tifa's gentle face twisted in a feigned, disgusted look, "Stuff? Stuff?! Is that all you men can say? So vague!"

Cloud burst out laughing, "Well, okay, I'm taking a few ART classes!"

Tifa let out a gasp, "Really? I thought you learned math at art school!"

"Watch it with the sarcasm!" Cloud warned.

Tifa giggled. She fingered the freshly furnished wood of the table for a brief moment, focusing her eyes on the shiny brown surface. 

"So, tell me about the band," Cloud said.

"Well, what would you like to know?"

"Who's in the band?"

"Well, I'm the lead vocals and backup for guitar, Vincent plays lead, Yuffie plays bass, and Rufus is on the drums," she answered.

Cloud nodded, "I see. Are you friends with all of them?"

"Vincent's a good friend. He's a T.A at Stanford. Yuffie's just in high school, but she's really nice. A very sweet girl…mostly keeps to herself though."

"What about Rufus?" Cloud asked curiously.

"Well…now Rufus is an interesting character," Tifa said, with a slight grimace. "He just graduated from the same high school as Yuffie's. He's not in college…mostly because he really doesn't need to be. His father is a very wealthy man, the owner of a computer software company, and Rufus has a guaranteed spot at the head of the company," Tifa paused for a moment, "He's sort of a spoiled boy. He just turned nineteen last month. He's only in the band because he's good. Other than that, we wouldn't be having him in it, he can be a little too much to put up with at times."

"Hmph, let's get on a more pleasant topic…Why don't you tell me how _you_ got in the band, and how you started playing guitar," Cloud suggested.

"Okay," Tifa agreed, "What's with you and the third degree tonight?" she joked.

Cloud shrugged innocently, "I'm just making up for lost times!"

"Okay, okay. Well, you said that we should get on a more pleasant topic, did you not?"

Cloud nodded.

"Well, I don't know if this is any more pleasant than the last…" Tifa said, her face looking a little melancholy. She paused, "But since we _were_ best friends, I guess I can tell you. Well, I started playing guitar during my freshman year in high school. Right after I moved away…You know, I was kind of lonely, leaving all my friends behind. So, I just decided to start!" Tifa smiled a tiny smile, "I knew Dad would never let me play though. With piano, school, and all…So, I just told him that I needed some money for a field trip our school was taking, and that I needed money for transportation, lunch, dinner, and all. So, he gave me some. I combined that money I had saved up with the money he gave me, and the day the supposed trip was, I ditched school, and went out to buy the guitar."

"Rebel…" Cloud joked.

"I went to a Catholic school you know. But Dad never found out…He was too busy with his meetings with his clients or whatever. I only played when he was gone, and that was pretty often, so I got to be pretty good. And since I sang in the stupid girls' choir, I could sing pretty well also. So, that's how it all fits together. I just came here and joined the band."

Tifa took a deep breath and sighed, "Was that enough?"

Cloud nodded, "But…how did you actually join the band?"

Tifa frowned, "You know? I don't really remember…It was two years ago…"

"Oh, okay." Cloud said. He took a minute to stretch his arms out.

"Now it's your turn Cloud," Tifa announced.

"What? Oh, yeah, it is, isn't it."

Tifa nodded, "So, tell me, what is your occupation?"

"Well…I'm a graphic artist. The computer business is really booming nowadays. I'm a freelancer, so I get paid pretty well," he replied.

"So, what, you make web designs?"

"Yeah, things like that. Whatever comes up, whoever needs me to make anything, I'm there."

"That's pretty good…" Tifa looked at the dimmed light above her, "What about your art? Do you plan on being a real artist? Like a painter?"

Cloud shook his head, "Naw, what's the chance? There aren't that many real artists out there anymore. The quality and purity of real art has gone down the drain. In today's perspective, a damned blue splotch on a canvas is considered a masterpiece. Then, to make it even worse, it's sold for millions to an ignorant rich fool who doesn't know the difference between Michelangelo and Monet."

Tifa softly laughed, "That's very true. But what about you? I mean, you sure know the difference, and you have the talent to create real art."

"Maybe, but not to everyone. Art is something that can't really be judged. It's all the matter of luck nowadays. Besides, I would be a starving artist on the streets doing profiles for tourists with bad English, making twenty bucks a day," Cloud said.

"Besides, I'm making pretty good money in this computer industry. There are lots of demands for graphic artists, and it's all the matter of who makes the 'coolest' looking designs!" he continued.

"I get your point, I guess you could just keep art as a side hobby, rather than a career," Tifa added.

"Yeah," he agreed.

The dim light that hung above them shone into Cloud's blue eyes, lighting them up with an inner glow, making them look alive. Tifa took a brief moment to study them as he turned to look around. They looked like wet crystals…Just as she had remembered them in the days of her adolescence. 

I guess some things never change… she thought.

Cloud turned back to face her, "Well…"

Tifa checked her watch, "Yeah, it's getting a little late, isn't it? We'd better go."

Cloud slowly nodded, "I'll walk you out to your car."

The two stood up and promptly walked out of the quaint little coffee house. They were welcomed by the harsh cold of the outside world. Light's shining from old-fashioned lanterns illuminated the street and walkways, adding a dreamy atmosphere. The weather was cold, yet the surroundings filled Cloud with a certain, nearly tangible warmth.

Cloud and Tifa walked quietly to her small white Volkswagon Passat parked next to a meter. Tifa turned to Cloud. The soft wind ruffling her soft hair, and almost seemed to play with it, catching it and throwing the strands in numerous directions. 

Cloud cleared his throat as she turned to fit the key into the car.

"How often does your band play? At the coffee house, that is." 

"Oh, about every other day," she replied turning to face him. "It seems like we have a pretty good audience here, we're regulars."

"What's the name of your band, by the way?"

"Premium Heart," she replied.

"Then I'll see you here every other night," Cloud said, a little determined.

"You mean to say that you'll come here every other night? Isn't that a little too often? I mean, you'll have other things to do…" she protested.

"Oh, no. Like I said, I'm here for a vacation," corrected Cloud.

Tifa nodded, "Okay then. This is our table."

"I'll be waiting." 

Tifa smiled, a warm, friendly smile, "Then I'll be there."

She opened the car door with a soft click and sat herself down into the plush seat. She took one look at Cloud, offered another friendly smile and closed the door. 

Tifa started the ignition, and the soft roar of the engine was present. She lifted a bare hand to give a brief wave. Cloud waved also, as he backed away from the car. Then, she was gone.

******

It was already November, but to Tifa, it seemed as if only a few days had passed since she had been reunited with Cloud. Two months had already passed, and their routine meetings at their designated coffee table became so frequent that Tifa actually looked forward to them. She found herself waiting for her band's time on stage to be over, just so that she could join Cloud. 

Tifa barely caught herself staring off into space and losing herself within her thoughts in her advanced philosophy class. Right now, the last thing she could think of was paraphrasing…She glanced down at her wristwatch, ten more minutes until class ended. She just wanted to go home…

A gruff voice cut through her thoughts, "All right, I'm in a good mood today so I'll let you out early. Go on home, get laid, drink beer, party, do whatever you need to do this Friday!" Professor Highwind dismissed the dreary mass of students with a quick wave of his hand. Tifa let out a sigh of relief and gathered her set of notes into her book bag. She waited until all of the students were out of the room, then proceeded to approach the professor. 

"Yes Tifa?" he asked, wondering why she had not left yet.

Tifa uncomfortably readjusted her book bag strap on her shoulder, "Professor Highwind, I was just wondering, how I'm doing so far…" she started.

The blond man shook his head and sighed, "You, out of all people to ask me how they're doing. You should know!" He laughed and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his dark slacks, "Tifa, you're doing fine! In fact, you're doing the best in this course, okay? You have absolutely no need to be worried, I'm afraid that you might understand this subject better than I do. For God's sake, you should be the one up here lecturing this damn class!"

He set his rough hand on her shoulder, "Just go home for chrissake's. You worry too much!"

Tifa smiled, "Thanks Professor Highwind."

He rolled his eyes, "Just call me Cid for God's sake. Try to have some fun this weekend, okay?"

Tifa nodded, "Goodbye and have a great weekend."

Cid dismissed her with a wave, and she headed out the door.

After watching her leave, Cid shook his head. 

Damn girl…Worryin' too much. She's just like Shera…

******

Singing was heaven. At least for Tifa. There was nothing better in the world than singing and playing her guitar. Nothing. 

"_deep inside the darkest night  
is drinking in the light  
from pinholes pricked, holy needles knicked  
in a canopy of white_"

Emotions and words blurred within the musical strums of the guitars, the rhythmic beating of the drums. The only time she could express herself, wholly, and without a shame was on stage, or on paper by herself. 

_"i'm alone, i'm alone  
and i'm beating my soul to make it bleed a drop of hope  
then i'll drink it up in a golden cup and let it grow inside"_

The real Tifa came out when she was on stage. The real Tifa was always withheld from others. Unless she was alone, she could be herself when she was alone, by herself.

_"and i fear that you've gone away  
but you must be somewhere near"_

But she didn't like to be alone. She always had a longing within herself to be with someone, anyone. 

_"the fire fades so the deepest shades  
slowly trickle down the wall  
in a room i hide will i come outside  
and have some kind of fall"_

But she hid. She hid from others. Maybe fear, maybe problems…maybe it was just her that was keeping her away…

_"all my words, all my words  
they have lost all their worth  
nothing's good enough for anyone"_

Fear.

******

"Great show tonight, eh Yuffie?" Tifa asked in a friendly manner.

The young teenage girl's head raised, "Hmm? Oh, yeah, tonight was pretty good."

Yuffie was quite short for her age, but was still attractive for a sixteen year old. Her bright dark brown almond shaped eyes always held a somber or mellow expression. She was normally quiet, and she only talked to Tifa or Rufus. Although very little. Yuffie was a girl of few words and was always deathly calm, a little too calm for her age. 

Tifa thought her a little strange, but all in all, a decent person. Whatever the case, Tifa found Yuffie hard to approach, or talk to on any occasion, so she normally gave up and turned to Vincent. Vincent was also quiet, but he and Tifa shared a strong relationship. He had been the one who had recruited her as their lead vocals/backup guitar. They had remained good friends for a few years now, despite their age difference. Vincent was twenty-eight years old, and Tifa, a mere twenty. 

Tifa rushed to help clean up the band's equipment off of the small stage in order to join her nightly companion on the small mahogany table. She glanced around the room until her bright anxious eyes settled on the familiar, blond haired figure sitting near her table. Cloud looked up and waved a hand at her, Tifa smiled back and slowly walked over to him, edging her way past the thick contingent of people. She promptly sat down on the comfortable chair and folded her elbows on the hard surface of the table. Upon sitting down, Tifa reached for her bag and pulled out a small medication bottle, apparently filled with tiny tablets. With lithe fingers, she unscrewed the top and reached in to pull out one. She popped one into her open mouth and swallowed it briskly. Cloud's head perked up at this,

"What are those for?"

Tifa gave him a curious look, "What, these? They're pills for my heart."

Cloud frowned and opened his mouth to ask another question, but was cut off by Tifa.

"I just have this little heart condition, I developed it when I was fifteen. My heart's just a little weak, and strenuous work tires it out. The muscles would normally tighten up and my air stream would be pinched off, making it really hard for me to breathe if it weren't for these pills…"

Cloud's eyes lighted up, "Oh, so that's why you were having trouble breathing when we ran into each other that one day..."

Tifa smiled weakly, "Yeah, you're quite perceptive..." 

Cloud nodded and chose to remain silent.

In a lethargic manner, Tifa rested her head on her elbows, looking up at him while doing so.

"Tired?" Cloud queried, gently lifting her chin with his fingers. Tifa nodded in response.

"Too much to do," she said in a soft voice.

Her eyes fluttered, nearly shutting.

Cloud leaned back in his chair and yawned, "Yeah, I'm a little worn out too."

He blinked his blue eyes then leaned towards Tifa, "Hey, how about going for a walk then? The chilly air will probably wake both of us up."

Tifa thought for a moment, and a bit of genuine mirth twinkled in her large doe eyes,

"Sure, why not?"

Cloud got up from his chair and Tifa followed him out the door. Cloud was right, the air did wake them up. In fact, the moment they walked outside, the cold wind hit them like a slap in the face. Despite the cold, the night was beautiful. Lit lanterns dimly shone from within the fragile glass cases, creating a warm, glowing halo around it. The tightly woven street was no longer bustling with people, but now empty, deserted, and calm. 

Tifa felt relaxed and calm, wrapping her arms around herself in attempt to ward off the cold. She kept walking, her feet slowly scraping against the surface of the sidewalk. As she walked, she stole a quick glance over at Cloud, watching him with silent intent. Amidst the dark enveloping them both, his bright blue eyes still seemed to carry a faint glow…tiny flickers of blue flame that often burned brighter with any slight change of emotion. Tifa forced herself to look away for fear of him noticing her staring at him. 

Cloud focused his eyes on the rough ground as he strode with ease. It was unlike him to stay so quiet. On the other hand, it seemed as if the overall atmosphere of this night was keeping him silent. Any slight action or word threatened to ruin the perfect calm, the perfect silence, the peace…He actually enjoyed the quiet, when on a normal night he wouldn't. He looked over at Tifa, her soft locks of hair flying backwards by the wind, flying almost in perfect synchronicity with it. A soft smile graced her features and gradually widened as she closed her eyes against the new cold gust blew against them. 

"Why do you look so happy?" he asked, pulling his jacket to himself tighter. 

Tifa turned to him, her cheeks beginning to look rosy from the cold, and offered him a girlish smile.

"Oh…I don't know. I just love this weather."

Cloud stared at her as if she was a crazy woman,

"What? This kind of weather? It's so cold, it feels like my nose is gonna fall off!"

Tifa laughed, then stopped in her tracks,

"Oh, stop complaining. You know, I figured out recently that you need to enjoy more things in life…"

Tifa tilted her head back, letting out a sigh which quickly vaporized into a cloud of white. She turned to him with a bright, honest smile that reflected the innocence of a young child, 

"Because only then will your life be more enjoyable, and you'll be more happy," she finished, a sweet look on her face.

Cloud looked at her and merely smiled, at a loss for words. Tifa turned to him once more,

"You know, you really should come over to my apartment for once. You could meet my roommate, and have a look around."

He shrugged, "Sure, why not?"

"Okay, so you can come over tomorrow then, after my usual show. We could all watch some movies and you two could become more acquainted. She's really nice you know," added Tifa.

"What's her name?" Cloud asked.

"Aeris."

******

Author's Notes: Well, here's the first section. Hope you enjoyed it…It may be a little awkward for most readers, but I just wanted to introduce a new idea that I had…Kind of crazy, but works when you think about it…Anyway, the last words spell out trouble…Or will it just be a friendly meeting? With Aeris? HA! Don't count on it…Well, tell me what you think! C&C and questions welcome at: [SyberSquid@aol.com][1]

PS: For those who were reading "Lost Tears" my other fic, I have big plans for it….except that they're going to be on hold for the moment. I've been extremely busy at school…yes…high school…Life's hard for a honors student you know!!!!!!!! Well, my apologies, you'll be hearing from Lost Tears maybe in a few months or so…Don't worry, I'm not giving up on it….yet…heh heh! Oh, and the song's by Sixpence None the Richer…It's called "Bleeding"…Goodness, I swear, Matt Slocum is a genius with those lyrics…^_^

   [1]: mailto:SyberSquid@aol.com



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